Obrigado Indo

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Depending upon who you talk to, Indonesia has either been swamped by Brazilian surfers this season or there's only been a modest increase over past years.

Whatever the numbers, incremental or astronomical, they can be attributed to a generous holiday package offered by Qatar Airways. Early this year the Middle Eastern carrier launched its second annual Travel Festival featuring cheap flights that got progressively cheaper the more people that were in on the deal.

Of interest were the flights from Sao Paulo to Denpassar. The usual price for return flights is approx. $1,500 US but the Qatar Airways deal started at $709 each for three people and dropped to a scant $487 if you could round up five passageiros.

At less than a third the usual price Brazilian travellers got the group thing going, booked the flights, and subsequently stormed the archipelago. This was confirmed by Qatar Airways who, when asked by Swellnet, said the Denpassar special was "extremely popular". However, they couldn't divulge specific numbers and thus we're left to unreliable reports from the cliff tops at Ulus.

"There's been way more Brazilians here this year," said a Swellnet correspondent. "But then I thought the same last year too."

"Everything you hear about the Brazilians is true," said another. "A very large number of them are here and they themselves say it is due to the cheap tickets."

One person who isn't complaining about an increase in Brazilian surfers is Australian Nathan Bartlett who, as Stab reported, was recently rescued by three Brazilians when he hit the reef at Desert Point - which has jokingly been renamed B'Land. If it wasn't for the quick thinking of Renan Farias, Rodrigo Cardoso, and Kako Lopes, the outcome could have been grim.

The spokesperson for Qatar Airways said this was the second time they'd run the Travel Festival and due to the growing success it was highly likely they'll do it again next year.

They also said it was highly unlikely Sydney to Denpassar would be a part of it - they don't even fly that route.

Postscript: The Qatar Airways special ended last month so Indo's Brazilian Storm - real or imagined - has cleared.

Comments

evosurfer's picture
evosurfer's picture
evosurfer Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 7:55pm

Absolutely over populated Bali to the point of stupidity and probably
every where else in Indo. What a clusterfuck.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 8:15pm

When ya heading back evo?

Payp's picture
Payp's picture
Payp Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 8:18pm

Fuck me have some great Brazilian surfing mate's.They travel indo solo and are fucking great surfer's, charger's.Biggest peanut's are surfer's from the east coast of Oz that carry on like they fucking rip riding sub 6ft board's stinking up the line up and fucking the set's.

ThazL's picture
ThazL's picture
ThazL Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 9:43pm

Finally a sensible voice! Most US/Australian surfers have labelled all Brazilians as wankers, but in doing so have become the wankers themselves! Sure there's an overcrowding problem at some spots, but to blame it all on one nationality is bonkers!

dandandan's picture
dandandan's picture
dandandan Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 10:18pm

Absolutely 1000% agree. At least at Ulus. I've been paying a fair bit of attention to this the last couple of weeks. Surfing Temples yesterday five Australian mates dropped in a total of 22 times (on each other as well as everyone else) and happily paddled back into prime position each time. Further down towards Racetrack the drop ins were more multicultural, but still primarily it was the Australians doing the dropping in.

I rarely see drop ins committed by solo surfers. Almost without fail each blatant and deliberate drop in I've witnessed from the water the last month at Ulus has been by an Australian surfing with a group of other Australians.

I will say though, that there was a hilarious altercation between a Brazilian bodyboarder woman and an Australian on Sunday afternoon. She was absolutely seething and desperate for a blue. He just wanted it to be over. Coming from a part of the world where surf rage almost never happens, I found it hilarious.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 3:48pm

I was there in April and if you took the Brazzo's out of the line up at Ulu's it was uncrowded. No hassles with them they were just average guys like me except for the odd prick which you get from any nationality. Locals were pissed off as this was usually their time. Thanks to Qatar that isn't the case anymore. There were some ugly ones (about 5 or 6 in a pack) at a friends Warung who treated them as if they were slaves, looked dangerous and had zero sense of humour. Real arseholes. I have seen this in Kuta with bogan Aussies but never on the Bukit. Hopefully this is not a trend where bogan brazzos lodge on the Bukit care of Qatar. Son went to Lakeys and the locals didn't like them as they were no fun and hassled them all the time for cheaper price. I suppose their dollar is rubbish so they had less money. They also didn't interact with them very well unlike the aussies who they love (we also have a much better exchange rate). They generally they didn't talk to anyone much which may be a language barrier thing. My son and his mates became great friends with the locals as they paid what was set, joked all the time and hung out with them as mates. Ended up having dinner at their house as guests. The one they particularly didn't like was De Souza as he tried to take over the line up so the faded him on every wave. As always just need to respect everyone and every place and don't be a dick. Biggest issue is there is just too many of them in one hit. As Stu says the deal ended June 30 so late season could be the go.

evosurfer's picture
evosurfer's picture
evosurfer Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 9:08pm

No time soon a bit over the joint at the moment.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017 at 11:14pm

"Biggest peanut's are surfer's from the east coast of Oz that carry on like they fucking rip riding sub 6ft board's stinking up the line up and fucking the set's." Quote.

"Most US/Australian surfers have labelled all Brazilians as wankers, but in doing so have become the wankers themselves!" Quote.

Australians are the new brazzos ?
crikeys this is terrible news , it doesn't really suprise me...
Will others back these claims though ?

Mango Carafino's picture
Mango Carafino's picture
Mango Carafino Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 6:04am

Hey, with this entire Gay, Lesbo, Transgender movement we have to accept as the new norm, having Brasillians around, not to mention their lovely looking ladies is really not so bad. I prefer to manage that than to detect uncover Homo's prancing around the beach and paddling the line up. Surfing is the sport of Kings not queenies.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 6:44am

Is that Mango Manny?!
You still lurking around the bounty with your yellow lense sunglasses on scoping the ladiiiies?
Hehehe what a classic!

Mango Carafino's picture
Mango Carafino's picture
Mango Carafino Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 2:10pm

That yellow you detect in my mirror lens glasses is the reflection off the bikini clad go go dancers bouncing in the lime light.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 9:01am

Brazilians are great when they travel solo or just two or maybe three....same with Aussies and Americans etc.

But when you get a pack generally more than two or three, thats when your get bad behaviour happening in the water and on land.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 10:56am

Yeah well! As much as that can be a bunch of arrogant Muscle flexing pricks at times!
They do live in a third world country and with there pay rate and exchange rate good on the airline for giving a poorer country a chance to enjoy the spoils of our 1stworld country's! And enjoy a exchange rate they can meet!

sharkman's picture
sharkman's picture
sharkman Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 9:16am

spoke to Doris earlier this year while surfing one of his fabled lefts , and he made a great quote " we worry about an extra 30K Brazilians coming to Bali , when the biggest bunch of cunts are the 1.4m bogan aussies who fuck Bali!"
The only problem we had in the water was with aussies , everyone else was chilled!

evosurfer's picture
evosurfer's picture
evosurfer Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 9:22am

I also have met some very nice Brazilians I even have a good friend here that is a
Brazilian all im trying to say is that the extra crew ( Brazilians ) made the line up
super crowded more so than normal and they were frothing. Yes when there is
10 guys paddleing for waves there were major dropins and blantent snakes and
most were Brazilians. FACT
I also think Australians can be arse holes as well just look at the gold coast its one
of the reasons I dont travel in Australia for surf. You can be as polite and patient
wait for your turn 5 times over ( anywhere)and a aussi will burn you anyway. This is why I like
Hawaii so much except for pipe generally Hawaiians acknowledge your respect and
repay you with waves. Aloha. You wont find that in Australia.

bum_acid's picture
bum_acid's picture
bum_acid Wednesday, 5 Jul 2017 at 1:23pm

Nice attempt at some covert race-baiting. Jesus Christ, is this what passes for an article on Swellnet now?

Whatever gets you clicks huh guys.

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Thursday, 6 Jul 2017 at 5:57am

Well if it helps us get 5 people seats on a Virgin flight for $500 I hope they do more articles like this!

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Thursday, 6 Jul 2017 at 8:39am

Anyone who's stupid enough to do a 'surf trip' to Bali in this day and age deserves what they get. As if you're gunna paddle out at ANY of the Bukit reefs on a good day and not be dealing with ridiculous crowds, drop ins, aggro, kooks bailing boards, balos working over the tourists etc etc.

Like someone said earlier, the joint's a total clusterfuck and has been for a couple of decades now.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Thursday, 6 Jul 2017 at 12:40pm

Ringmaster thats true !

Haski's picture
Haski's picture
Haski Thursday, 6 Jul 2017 at 1:13pm

Brazilians seem at their worst in gangs, no respect and take over the break if they can, were bogan Aussies seem to be badly behaved on their own or in a group
generally in my experience anyway

Vic Local's picture
Vic Local's picture
Vic Local Saturday, 8 Jul 2017 at 5:40pm

Yep Groups of Brazzos are a nightmare but I've met some awesome Brazilians travelling solo. I've also seen some pretty ordinary behaviour by Australians from Roti to Nias. I can spot a Gold Coast surfer a mile off in Indo. They are the young idiots who think they can catch a set wave and then paddle past everyone in the lineup and get the very next set. So much fun straightening those little pricks out with a deliciously timed long drawn out bottom turn.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 5 Jan 2018 at 7:14pm

About $1300US for Brazilians this year.....i dont think Qatar have a special deal on ?

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Friday, 5 Jan 2018 at 7:17pm

Yessssssssss

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Sunday, 7 Jan 2018 at 3:55pm

Sounds good, back to Indo for six weeks during winter.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 7 Jan 2018 at 5:01pm

Brazilians are recognised gronks for their tendency to travel in packs.

Aussies in packs are no different.

Nor Italians , French , Japanese etc etc

Pack surfers are insecure fucks on the whole ....that's why they'd choose to go on a surf trip with an Insta crowd in the first place. Not a hint of initiative amongst them.

The pack makes them feel powerful and comfortable enough to throw their bad attitude around in a manner they'd never dream of doing if they were travelling alone or with a mate or two.

I will go out on a limb here and say that 95 percent of poor behaviour in Indo is played out by people travelling with more than 2 mates.

The other 5 percent ?

That'd be me.

Sorry.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 7 Jan 2018 at 4:56pm

Spot on !